Partition



Sept. 26, 1967 SIEGLER PARTITION Filed Dec. 13, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Lawrence D. Siegler M %& ATTORNEYS P 26, 1967 L. SIEGLER 3,343,742

PARTITION Filed Dec. 13, 1965 25 34 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5

Fig.7

63 s2 62 52 6/ \w] INVENTOR 64 64 Lawrence D. Siegler United States Patent 3,343,742 PARTITION Lawrence iegler, 2965 Randy, Farmers Branch, Tex. 75234 Filed Dec. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 513,381 9 Claims. (Cl. 229-) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Partitions for dividing a box into a plurality of article receiving cubicles.

This invention relates to partitions for use in boxes and similar containers and more particularly relates to bottle separating partitions.

It is one object of the invention to provide a new and improved box partition.

It is a particularly important object of the invention to provide a new and improved bottle divider.

It is another object of the invention to provide a box or case for packaging bottles and similar articles including a divider for insulating each article from others contained within the box.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bottle divider which is readily inserted into a firmly fixed position within a box.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a bottle divider having a plurality of interconnected panels each of which is provided with leg sections having reduced end surface areas whereby the legs indent or depress a box bottom to hold the leg sections against movement relative to the box bottom.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bottle divider including partition members having sections extending along the areas of possible contact between the bottles.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bottle divider formed of a plurality of partitions prepared from a continuous strip of material thereby minimizing material waste.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a bottle divider including a plurality of first partitions extending in one direction in parallel, spaced-apart, relationship interlocked with a plurality of identical second partitions extending transversely in parallel, spaced-apart, relationship, each of the first partitions having a vertically extending slot between adjacent downwardly extending spaced leg members and each of the second partitions having a vertically extending slot between adjacent upwardly extending spaced leg members, all of the slots being substantially the same width as the thickness of the material of which the partitions are formed.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a bottle divider having longitudinally and transversely extending interlocked partitions each having downwardly and upwardly extending leg members spaced apart along the length of each of the partitions providing recesses defined by a horizontally extending edge surface joining at opposite ends withupwardly and downwardly extending outwardly divergent edge surfaces.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a bottle divider having longitudinal and transverse dimensions which are slightly greater than the inside of a box in which the divider is used to improve the rigidity of the box and divider and firmly hold the divider in the box.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a bottle divider including a plurality of interlocked partitions which are easily assembled, with each partition being readily guided into a slit of another partition by in wardly convergent edge surfaces adjacent to the interlocking slits in the connected partitions.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bottle divider having a plurality of cubicles or chambers each defined by partition panel surfaces for contacting areas of adjacent contained bottles which are likely to touch each other.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bottle divider comprising partitions formed of solid cardboard sheet material.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a bottle divider including interlocked partitions which are readily foldable into substantially fiat, parallel, face-toface relationship for storage and shipping.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of a bottle case embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a partition assembly of the bottle case of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal view in section taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded plan view illustrating the formation of the partition sections from a continuous material strip and showing one of the partitions separated from the other partitions being formed;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of one of the transverse partitions in the assembly of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective of segments of longitudinal and transverse partitions illustrating the relative positions of the partitions prior to pressing them into interlocked relationship; and,

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary plan view of one end of a partition section showing an alternate form of end tab with an adjacent connected partition section being shown in broken lines prior to severance of the partition sections.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a bottle case 20, embodying the invention, includes a box 2011 and a partition or divider assembly 21 for holding a plurality of bottles 22 in separated, spaced-apart, relationship. The box 20a comprises a bottom panel 23, side panels 24, end panels 25, and top panels 30. The panels are connected together in any suitable manner, such as by gluing or by staples 31. The top panels 30 may be formed separately from and secured to the adjacent side panels 24 or they may be formed integral with the side panels and bent along the lines 32 to form a hinge connection whereby the top panels open upwardly and outwardly from each other for removing the contents of the case and, conversely, close downwardly and inwardly toward each other for sealing the case. The panels of the box 'are' preferably formed of corrugated, double-faced cardboard.

The partition assembly 21 includes a plurality of longitudinal partitions 33 extending in vertical, parallel, spacedapart relationship and a plurality of interconnected, transverse partitions 34 which extend in vertical, parallel, spaced-apart relationship perpendicular to the longitudinal partitions. l

The longitudinal partitions 33 and the transverse partitions 34 are identical in all structural features other than length, which may vary depending upon the shape of the box 20a, which generally is square or rectangular. The orientation of the longitudinal and transverse partitions, differs, however, when the partitions are interlocked, the transverse partitions being inverted with respect to the longitudinal partitions to permit the required interlocking relationship between them. The various identical features of the longitudinal and transverse partitions will, therefore, be designated by the same reference numerals.

The longitudinal partition 33 has a plurality of upwardly extending spaced-apart legs 35 and a plurality of correspondingly positioned, downwardly extending legs 40.

The legs 35 are uniformly spaced apart from each other along the length of the partition providing a plurality of upwardly opening recesses 41 equally spaced apart along the length of the partition. Each of the legs has upwardly and inwardly convergent side edge surfaces 42 and a top edge surface 43 which is interrupted by an upwardly opening, semi-circular recess 44 thereby dividing the edge surface 43 into two segments. Each of the recesses 41 is bounded along its sides by the edge surfaces 42 of adjacent legs. The edge surfaces 42 are upwardly and outwardly divergent with respect to the recesses 41. The bottom of each recess 41 is defined by a horizontal edge surface 45 extending between the edge surfaces 42 of each adjacent pair of legs 35.

The downwardly extending legs 40 are spaced along the length of the partition 33 at positions corresponding with the positions of the upwardly extending legs 35. The spacing of the legs 40 provides a plurality of downwardly opening recesses 50 which correspond in shape, size, and location to the upwardly opening recesses 41. Each of the legs 40 has downwardly and inwardly convergent side edge surfaces 51 corresponding to the side edge surfaces 42 on the upwardly extending legs. A lower end edge surface 52 is formed along each of the leg sections 40 connecting the edge surfaces 51 and interrupted by a downwardly opening serni-circular recess 53 dividing the edge surface 52 into two substantially equal edge segments. The lower edge surface 52 and the recess 53 correspond, respectively, to the upper edge surface 43 and recess 44. The side limits of the recesses 50 are defined by the side edge surfaces 51 which are downwardly and outwardly divergent with respect to the recesses. The upper end of each of the recesses 50 is defined by a horizontally extending edge surface 54 connecting the edge surfaces 51 between adjacent legs 40. Each of the edge surfaces 54 is interrupted by a downwardly opening slot 55, the major portion of which is defined by parallel edge surfaces 60 which connect with downwardly and outwardly divergent edge surfaces 61 extending to the segments of the edge surface 54 thereby defining a mouth portion of the slot 55 which the guides of a traverse partition 34 into the slot. The width of the slots 55 is preferably equal to the thickness of the cardboard of which the partitions are made. The edge surfaces 60 are spaced apart substantially the the same distance as the thickness of the material of which the partitions are constructed.

Each longitudinal partition 33 has opposite end sections 62 each of which is defined by segments of an upper edge surface 45 and a lower edge surface 54 with a connecting vertical end edge surface 63. The end sections 62 each result from severing adjacent connected partition sections along a vertical line about midway between adjacent legs. In severing the partition section 33 from adjacent sections which are represented by broken lines and designated by the reference numerals 33a, the cutting may be done through a slot 55 such that the edge 63 is coincident with an edge 60 defining the slot. In the alternative, the cut between partitions may be made to provide an end edge 63a, as shown in FIGURE 7, which extends along a line substantially half way between the edges 60 of the slot 55 to provide a small tab 62a along each end section 62 having a length equal to the distance between the edge 45 and the top of the slot 55. The tabs 62a may effectively bite into or be indented into the material forming the box 20a to aid in holding the partition assembly in place. The end edges 63 may, on the other hand, be cut to be coincident with the edge 60 of the slot 55 adjacent to the partition section so that each end of each partition section is a smooth continuous surface.

The slots 55 are cut to a depth which is preferably onehalf the distance between the horizontal edge surfaces 45 and 54 so that when the longitudinal and transverse partition sections are coupled together to form the partition assembly 21, all of the bottom edge surfaces of the downwardly extending legs are in a common plane to engage the upper face of the bottom panel 23 of the box 20a.

The transverse partitions 34 are identical to the longi tudinal partitions except in length where the box 20a is rectangular in shape and has a transverse dimension less than its longitudinal dimension.

The transverse partitions 34 constitute the same physical form as the longitudinal partitions 33 at an inverted position so that all upwardly oriented features of the lon gitudinal partition are downwardly oriented in the transverse partitions. For example, the upwardly extending legs 35 of the longitudinal partitions are downwardly extending legs on the transverse partitions. Also, the slots 55 open downwardly in the longitudinal partitions and upwardly in the transverse partitions. The transverse partitions are shorter than the longitudinal partitions except where the box 20a is square.

The longitudinal partitions 33 and the transverse partitions 34 are formed by a suitable procedure such as stamping from a continuous strip of blank material, which preferably is a form of solid cardboard as distinguished from corrugated cardboard. The partitions are die out along the lines indicated in FIGURE 4 which is a fragmentary view illustrating two partition strips 70 and 71 along with a fragment of a third partition strip 72. FIG- URE 4 also illustrates the separation of the strip 70 from the strips 71 and 72. In FIGURE 4 a complete longitudinal partition 33 as cut from a strip 70 is indicated by the solid line form with the remaining portions of the strip 70 being indicated in fragmented form by broken lines. The longitudinal and transverse partitions are formed from the strips 70, 71 and 72 by cutting the strips to the required lengths. Additional strips, such as the strips 76-72, are formed from the continuous material blank, depending, of course, upon the width of the blank relative to the size of the partition strips being cut from it. It will be clear that the only Waste material in the continuous blank is that cut out to form the recesses 44 and 53, the slot 55, and the material removed from the two outside side strips to form the recesses 41 and 50. The only additional material wastage may be a very small amount depending upon whether the tab 620 is left on the opposite ends of each of the partitions or whether the partitions are cut from the strips so as to eliminate the tabs 63a resulting in losing a minor amount of material the width of the slots 55 and of a length equal to the distance between the edge surface 45 and the bottom or top of the slot 55, depending upon the orientation of the strips.

If desired the end tabs 62 may each be cut as indicated along the broken lines 64 so that no sharp corners are present on the end tabs of both the longitudinal and horizontal partitions to facilitate sliding partition assemblies into the box 20a.

The longitudinal and transverse partitions are assembled either by hand or by the use of suitable jigs which support the transverse partitions 34 in vertical, parallel, spaced-apart relationship, support the longitudinal partitions 33 in vertical, parallel, spaced-apart relationship at degree angles to the transverse partitions, and lower the longitudinal partitions into interlocked or coupled relationship with the transverse partitions. The partitions, both transverse and longitudinal, are spaced so that the slots 55 in the longitudinal partitions are vertically aligned with corresponding oppositely facing slots 55 in the transverse partition, as illustrated in FIGURE 6. When the longitudinal partitions have been pressed downwardly into fully interlocked relationship with the transverse partitions, a strip 33a of the partition 33 is received within the upwardly opening slot 55 of the partition 34 and, similarly, a strip 34a of the partition 34 is received within the downwardly opening slot 55 of the longitudinal partition 33. As the longitudinal and transverse partitions are moved together into intermeshing relationship, the inwardly convergent edge surfaces 61 forming a mouth section of each of the slots 55 guides the longitudinal and transverse partitions together. The effect of slight misalignment of any of the corresponding slots 55 in the longitudinal and transverse partitions is eliminated due to the guiding effect of the edge surfaces 61 thereby permitting reasonable tolerance in the positioning of the longitudinal partitions with respect to the transverse partitions for moving the partitions together into interlocked relationship. When the partitions 33 are fully coupled with the partitions 34, the bottom edge surfaces 52 on the legs 40 of the partition 33 are aligned in the same horizontal plane as the bottom edge surfaces 43 on the legs 35 of the partition 34. Also, the edge surfaces 54 on each partition are aligned in the same horizontal planes as the edge surfaces 45 of each partition. In other words, the edge surfaces 54 of the longitudinal partitions 33 are aligned horizontally with the edge surfaces 45 of the transverse partitions 34. Similarly, the edge surfaces 45 of the longitudinal partitions 33 are horizontally aligned with the edge surfaces 54 of the transverse partitions 34.

The vertical edge surfaces 63 along each side and end of the partition assembly are aligned in the same vertical plane so that such edge surfaces will engage the inside surface of the side or end panels of the box 20a.

When the longitudinal and transverse partitions are all coupled together to form the assembly 21 as shown in FIGURE 2, the assembly is inserted into the box 20a by opening the top panels 30 upwardly and outwardly from each other and firmly pressing the partition assembly downwardly into the box until the lower edge surfaces 43 and 52 on the downwardly extending legs of the partitions engage the top surface of the bottom 23 of the case. The vertical edge surfaces 63 on the transverse partitions 35 engage the inside surfaces of the side panels 24 while similarly the edge surfaces 63 at the ends of the longitudinal partitions 33 engage the inside surfaces of the end panels 25. The partition assembly is pressed downwardly until the edge surfaces 43 and 52 on the bottom ends of the downwardly extending-legs slightly indent the inside surface of the bottom panel 23 to facilitate holding the legs against transverse or longi tudinal movement relative to the bottom surface. Since the transverse and longitudinal partitions are slightly longer than the width and length, respectively, of the box in which the partition assembly is installed, the edge surfaces 63 slightly indent or bite into the inside surfaces of the inside panels of the box to further aid in holding the partition assembly firmly in position within the case. The case preferably is constructed of double-faced corrugated cardboard so that inside surfaces of the bottom, side, and end panels of the case are slightly deformed by the bottom edge surfaces of the legs and the end edge surfaces of the partitions. Since the bottom edge surfaces, such as the surfaces 43 are relieved or interrupted by the recesses 44, the reduced surface area in contact with the inside bottom surface of the bottom panel 23 imposes greater unit forces on the bottom surface than if the surface 43 were continuous. The edge surfaces 61 and 64, if formed on the end tabs of the partitions, facilitate sliding the partition assembly into the box and minimize any damage to the inside surfaces or faces of the end and side panels of the box as the partition assembly is installed.

As shown in both FIGURES 1 and 3, the bottles 22 are stored in the case 20 with separation of the bottles being maintained by the partition assembly which with the inside surfaces of the panels of the box forms the cubicles 20b each of which receives one bottle. The partitions provide protection to the bottles along those surfaces which might touch each other. As shown in FIG- URE 1, the height of the partitions, the length between the edge surfaces 43 and 52 on the legs, is determined by the areas of the bottles which might touch. It is generally not necessary that the partitions extend above the level on each bottle at which its diameter starts reducing to form the neck portion of the bottle. Obviously, the partitions may be extended the full height of the case 20 though excessive material usage would thereby result without commensurate beneficial results. So long as the inside height of the case is substantially equal to the height of the bottles to be stored therein, the height of the partitions may be limited to the height of the uniform diameter portion or that portion of the bottles likely to contact each other when the bottles are stored in the case. Bottles having very short neck portions and consequently long body portions will obviously require partitions having heights more nearly the depth of the box in which partitions are used than illustrated in FIG- URE 1.

The use of solid cardboard for the partitions and slots 55 of a width about equal to the thickness of the cardboard provides a very rigid partition assembly.

It will now be seen that a new and improved box partition assembly has been described and illustrated.

It will also be seen that a new and improved bottle divider has been illustrated and described.

It will be further seen that a new and improved case for packaging bottles and similar articles including a divider for insulating the articles from each other to minimize breakage and other damage has been described and illustrated.

It will be further seen that the bottle divider is readily inserted into a box where it is tightly fitted to facilitate holding the divider in the box.

It will also be seeen that the bottle divider has a plurality of interconnected panels each of which has leg sections having reduced end surface areas so that the leg sections indent or depress the bottom inside surface of the box to improve the rigidity of the divider assembly and minimize movement of the leg sections relative to the bottom surface.

It will be further seen that each of the partitions has sections extending over areas of the bottles contained in the box most likely to contact each other.

It will be further seen that the bottle divider is formed of a plurality of partitions having identical features and formed from a continuous strip of material whereby material wastage is minimized.

It will additionally be seen that the bottle divider assembly includes a plurality of first partitions extending in one direction in parallel, spaced-apart relationship interlocked or coupled with a plurality of identical second partitions elilttending transversely in' parallel spaced-apart relationsm.

It will also be seen that each of the partitions includes vertical, upwardly and downwardly extending leg sections spaced apart along the length of the partition providing vertical upwardly and downwardly opening recesses between adjacent legs.

It will be further seen that each of the partitions has a vertically extending slot opening into the recess between each of the adjacent legs along one side of the partition, the slot having a mouth section formed by inwardly convergent edge surfaces, the major portion of each slot being of a width substantially equal to the thickness of the material of which the partition is formed, and each slot being positioned to correspond with an oppositely directed identical slot in a connected partition whereby a portion of each partition is received within a slot of the connected partition.

It will be further seen that the slots between the leg sections of each of the partitions are substantially equal in length so that when the partitions are coupled together to form the partition assembly the end edge surface of the legs of the partitions are aligned in a common horizontal plane extending perpendicularly to the planes of the surfaces of the partitions.

It will additionally be seen that the length of the longitudinal and transverse partitions of the partition assembly is slightly greater than the length and width respectively of the box in which the partition assembly is installed to improve the rigidity of both the box and partition assembly and hold the partition assembly in the box.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the construction illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A partition assembly for use in a box comprising: a plurality of first partitions extending in parallel, spacedapart relationship; a plurality of second partitions extending in parallel, spaced-apart relationship connected transversely to said first partitions forming with said first partitions a plurality of cubical storage chambers; each of said first and second partitions having vertically aligned spaced pairs of upwardly and downwardly extending legs, said pairs of legs being uniformly spaced apart along the length of said partitions providing spaced apart pairs of upwardly and downwardly opening recesses, said recesses opening transversely to the longitudinal axis of said partition; each of said first partitions having slots between said pairs of legs opening downwardly into its downwardly recesses, each of said slots receiving a portion of one of said second partitions; each of said second partitions having upwardly opening slots between its pairs of legs opening into its upwardly opening recesses, each of said slots of said second partitions receiving a portion of one of said first partitions.

2. A partition assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said slots between said legs of said first and said second partitions are positioned substantially midway between each pair of adjacent legs on said partitions extending substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of each of said partitions.

3. A partition assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said slots has a mouth portion defined by divergent edge surfaces on said partitions.

4. A partition assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said slots extends into itsrespective partition to substantially the mid-point between the ends of oppositely extending legs on said partition.

5. A partition assembly as defined in claim -1 wherein each of said slots opening into said recesses of each of said partitions is positioned substantially mid-way between adjacent legs extending substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the partition in which said slot is formed, each of said slots has a mouth section defined by divergent edge surfaces on the partition which said slot is formed to guide another partition into said slot, each of said slots extends into the partition in which it is formed to a location substantially mid-way between the ends of oppositely extending legs on said partition, and each of said partitions is longer than a box for enclosing said partition assembly whereby said assembly is firmly supported in said box.

6. A partition assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said partitions has end tabs having outwardly convergent edge surfaces to facilitate sliding said assembly into a box.

7. A partition assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said each of said partitions is formed of solid cardboard.

8. A partition assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said partitions have surfaces defining cubicles for receiving cylindrical containers, portions of said surfaces provided by said pairs of legs of said partitions being engageable by vertically extending surfaces of containers storable in said cubicles to prevent containers in adjacent cubicles from touching each other.

9. A case for storing a plurality of articles each in a separate cubicle insulated from the other comprising: a box having side, end, bottom, and top panel members; a plurality of longitudinal partitions extending in spacedapart relationship within said box parallel to said side panels; a plurality of transverse partitions extending in spaced-apart relationship parallel to said end panels interlocked with said longitudinal partitions whereby said longitudinal partitions and said transverse partitions comprise a partition assembly held substantially rigidly at a fixed position forming a plurality of substantially square cubicles within said box; each of said partitions having pairs of upwardly and downwardly extending legs located at vertically aligned positions along the length of each partition at spaced-apart locations providing a plurality of vertically aligned pairs of upwardly and downwardly opening recesses, each of said partitions having slots opening into said recesses substantially mid-way between said legs extending from substantially mid-way between the ends of said legs and having a divergent mouth portion for guiding a section of a partition into said slot; said slots in said longitudinal partitions each opening toward and receiving a portion of one of said transverse partitions and said slots in said transverse partitions each opening toward and receiving a portion of one of said longitudinal partitions; each of said longitudinal partitions being longer than the distance within said box between the inside surfaces of said end panels; each of said transverse partitions being longer than the inside dimension of said box between the inside surfaces of said side panels; each of said partitions having end tabs provided with tapered corner edges to facilitate sliding said partition assembly into said box; each of said end edges of each of said legs on said partitions being relieved by a recess provided in said partition; each of said slots in said partitions being substantially the same width as the thickness of the material forming said partitions; and each of said partitions being formed of a substantially solid material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 219,732 9/1879 Jaeger 217--32 2,675,167 4/1954 Deline et al. 229-42 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

R. PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner.

Notice of Adverse Decision in Interference In Interference No. 96,790 involving Patent No. 3,343,742, L. Sieglmg PARTITION, final judgment adverse tn the patentee was rendered .lun. IS),

1972, as to claims 1 and 2.

Lofi'l'cial (lazct/e July .4, 1.972.] 

1. A PARTITION ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN A BOX COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF FIRST PARTITIONS EXTENDING IN PARALLEL, SPACEDAPART RELATIONSHIP; A PLURALITY OF SECOND PARTITIONS EXTENDING IN PARALLEL, SPACED-APART RELATIONSHIP CONNECTED TRANSVERSELY TO SAID FIRST PARTITIONS FORMING WITH SAID FIRST PARTITIONS A PLURALITY OF CUBICAL STORAGE CHAMBERS; EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PARTITIONS HAVING VERTICALLY ALIGNED SPACED PAIRS OF UPWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING LEGS, SAID PAIRS OF LEGS BEING UNIFORMLY SPACED APART ALONG THE LENGTH OF SAID PARTITIONS PROVIDING SPACED APART PAIRS OF UPWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY OPENING RECESSES, SAID RECESSES OPENING TRANSVERSELY TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID PARTITION; EACH OF SAID FIRST PARTITIONS HAVING SLOTS BETWEEN SAID PAIRS OF LEGS OPENING DOWNWARDLY INTO ITS DOWNWARDLY RECESSES. EACH OF SAID SLOTS RECEIVING A PORTION OF ONE OF SAID SECOND PARTITIONS; EACH OF SAID SECOND PARTITIONS HAVING UPWARDLY OPENING SLOTS BETWEEN ITS PAIRS OF LEGS OPENING INTO ITS UPWARDLY OPENING RECESSES, EACH OF SAID SLOTS OF SAID SECOND PARTITIONS RECEIVING A PORTION OF ONE OF SAID FIRST PARTITIONS. 